Groove Is In The Heart
by rosdrise
Summary: Chapter 5: Lunch Break: Frida makes a call and has a little...discussion with Heat. Please R
1. Default Chapter

DISCLAIMER: I don't own these characters, Enix does. This story was written by a fan for   
fans.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: AHH!!! I love BAM! It is probably my favorite game ever, so it only makes   
sense that I would write a fanfic. Frida is my favorite character (I'm still bitter about her  
not being in BAM2) so this story focuses on her. Oh, and the title was a last minute thing.  
I'm not that good at titles so if anyone has a better suggestion, please let me know.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
Groove Is In The Heat  
by Daeryn  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I know you can do it sis!" Comet beamed and she flopped down onto a futon. "I have total   
faith in you!"  
  
"Oh, I don't know Comet," Frida stared at herself in the small bathroom mirror. She nervously  
fixed her headband. "Everyone else is so flashy. They have so much talent. I'm just so..  
.so plain." Frida turned and walked over to her sister and sat down next to her. She   
commenced wrapping her feet with bandages. Frida found it a lot easier to dance barefoot,   
she felt freer, more comfortable. But the bandages gave her better traction, so, she wore   
the bandages.  
  
"Who cares about flair? Or fancy costumes!" Comet shrieked and glared at Frida. She pointed  
a finger aggresively at her older sister. "Besides, since I got knocked out of the competition  
in the thrid round you have to win this for both of us." Frida smiled weakly.  
  
"Okay Comet" Frida hugged her sister tightly. "But you gotta come with me."  
  
"Sure!" Comet stood up, but then looked down at her Sushi Planet uniform. "Umm, let me change   
first."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Frida stared up at the huge studio and began to back away.  
  
"Nuh uh," Comet, now dressed in simple flare jeans and a white tank top but still with her   
signature skates, warned her and grabbed Frida's bracelet-clad wrist. "You're going."  
  
"I really don't want tooooo~~AAAHHHH" Frida shrieked as Comet dragged her through the doors   
of the studio.  
  
"Frida!" Comet placed her hands on her hips and stared at her sister. "What had gotten in   
to you? You've gotten through four round of competition already. You've blown those other   
dancers out of the water!" Frida blushed and then knotted her eyebrows in determination.  
  
"You're right Comet," she responded. "I'm just getting stage fright. If I win my match   
today, I go into the semi-finals. That's really the big time Comet."  
  
"You ain't got nothing to be scared of!" Comet smiled.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Frida exited one of the studio rooms with a huge smile plastered on her face. Comet, who had  
been waiting in the lobby hurried towards her.   
  
"So?" Comet asked. Frida beamed and nodded emphatically. "Oh my GAWD! FRIDAAAA!!!!" The   
two sisters shrieked, laughed, hugged, and jumped around the hallway, severely disturbing   
several passersby. Frida fell silent as her competitor exited the room and entered the   
hallway. The girl was dressed in a red flapper dress and a suppressed frown.   
  
"Hey," Frida smiled and walked over to the girl. "That was a great match. You're a wonderful  
dancer." The girl looked suspiciously into Frida's soft eyes, then smiled.  
  
"Thanks," she responded. "Good luck in the finals, okay?" Frida nodded and quickly hugged   
the girl. Once the dance left, Frida turned back too Comet.  
  
"Well, I guess I'm off to New York!" she smiled. Comet giggled insanely and spun around on   
her skates.   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Okay," Frida adjusted her suitcase strap and glanced at her key card. "Room 222...202, 204,  
206..." Frida read the numbers on the hotel room doors as she glided down the hallway,   
struggling to keep her bag on her shoulder. "218, 2--WOAH!" she exclaimed as she walked   
straight into a solid body. "Ack, sorry bout that," she apologized.  
  
"Watch it bitch!," the man in front of her growled.  
  
"I'm really sorry," Frida apologized again and laughed. "I'm trying to find my room, I guess  
I wasn't watching where I was going..." Frida looked the man up and down. He couldn't be   
more than a couple years older than her and was clad in a white jump suit with flames licking  
up the pant legs and arms. His golden-tanned face was framed with chin length auburn hair,  
topped off with a red ski cap. Frida found him incredibly handsome.  
  
The young man humphed and looked at the "Bust A Groove" i.d. card Frida held in the hand   
clutching at her suitcase. "You in the tourney?" he asked gruffly.  
  
"Hmm? Oh this!" Frida dropped her bag, looked at her id, and laughed. "Yeah, but it's not   
that great of a picture!" The young man smiled and chuckled.  
  
"Oh, this is just going to be too easy," he laughed to himself. Frida raised an eyebrow in   
question.  
  
"Are you in the "Bust A Groove" tournament as well?" she asked a little nervously. The man   
laughed again.  
  
"What? You mean you don't know me?" he asked and before Frida could respond he continued.   
" I'm the one that's gonna win this tourney. So, leave now while ya still got some dignity."  
  
Frida didn't think he was so cute anymore.  
  
"What makes you so sure about that?" Frida asked, suddenly angry.  
  
"I'm Heat, baby." He reported with a smirk, and then walked past the blue haired girl.  
  
"Heat who?" Frida yelled after him defiantly. Frida angrily lifted her bag off the ground   
and walked to her room.  
  
"Well he was an asshole," came a voice next to her. A young green-haired girl, around Frida's  
age, peaked her head out of the room opposite of Frida's. Frida smiled half-heartedly and   
nodded. "Unfortunately, he is going to be trouble."  
  
"Who is he?" Frida asked. The teenager stepped out of the room and leaned against the door   
jam. Frida's jaw dropped when she saw what the girl was wearing. She was clad in a white   
spandex body suit highlighted with bright colors, knee high platform boots, and white gloves.  
Out of the back of her suit came a pretend cat tail and beneath her arm she held a white   
helmet with large cat ears.  
  
"That's Heat. He's a big breakdancer here in New York," the cute green haired girl responded  
. "And I'm Kitty Nakajima! But you can call me Kitty-N." Frida smiled, glad to meet a   
friendly person.  
  
"I'm Frida," the two girl's shook hands.  
  
"Oh, hey Frida, I'm going down to the studio for a while to practice before the competition   
tomorrow. You want to come?" Kitty-N asked. Frida nodded and placed her suitcase in her hotel   
room, grabbed her workout bag, and joined Kitty-N on the walk to the elevator. The two girls  
passed a busty blonde woman, in a business suit, banging on a hotel room that was emitting   
incredibly loud rap music.  
  
"TURN THE DAMN MUSIC DOWN!!!" she screamed. "I CAN'T HEAR MYSELF THINK!!!" She continued   
to pound angrily on the door. "FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!"  
  
"Having problems with Strike again Kelly?" Kitty-N asked the woman.   
  
"Yes," Kelly turned to face Kitty-N and kicked the door. The door opened behind her and the   
music blared even louder. A tall, well-built Hispanic man stepped out.  
  
"Stop yelling woman! How am I supposed to practice with you makin' all this noise?" he   
snapped. Kelly spun around and jabbed a finger into Strike's chest.  
  
"If you want to practice, go to the studio like every other normal person in this tournament!"  
Kelly responded. Kitty-N shook her head and continued walking down the hallway, Frida   
quickly followed.  
  
"Are they dancers too?" Frida asked. Kitty-N nodded.  
  
"Yup, Kelly and Strike..."Kitty-N giggled. "They fight a lot. But actually, I think Kelly   
likes Strike."  
  
"Are all the dancers on this floor?" Frida inquired. Kitty-N nodded again.  
  
"Yeah, the dance committee rented out all the rooms on the floor for dancers and crew. But,   
we have to share rooms...so some tempers are flaring. I have it pretty good, I'm sharing a   
room with a little girl. She's out sight-seeing or something. And, I don't think you have   
a roomate, nobody else has entered your room this afternoon. Maybe they dropped out...Heat   
might have scared them. Oh, hey Hiro!" Frida saw a slight flush cross Kitty-N's face.   
Sitting against the wall was a handsome Italian man dressed in a white disco suit. On the   
ground in front of him sat a laptop.  
  
"Bonjourno, Kitty-N," he winked.  
  
"Did Strike kick you out again?" Kitty-N asked. Hiro laughed.  
  
"No, no, the music was too loud. It is much nicer out here," he responded in a smooth Italian  
accent.  
  
"Oh," Kitty-N paused. "Well, you can use my room. It's much nicer than the hallway, and no   
one is in there now."  
  
"You are too kind Kitty," Hiro smiled and stood. Kitty-N sprinted down the hall and opened   
her room for the Italian man and returned to Frida. Frida gave her a knowing look.  
  
"He's cute," Frida smiled.  
  
"That's Hiro," Kitty-N responded dreamily.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Frida dropped onto the floor outside of the practice room and began to stretch out. She   
spread her legs and leaned onto the ground, groaning slightly as her muscles protested.  
  
"Geez Kitty-N," Frida laughed. "You're gonna be competition!"  
  
"What are you talking about Frida? We each one two rounds!" Kitty-N laughed. She rested one  
hand on a bar and lifted a leg up to her head.  
  
"STOP THROWING THOSE DAMN HAMBURGERS ON ME!" an angry voice came from one of the practice   
rooms. "I SAID NO ATTACKS!"  
  
"Whateva man," a much deeper voice responded. "I'm outta here." A very, very large man   
exited a practice room and pounded down the hallway towards the two girls.  
  
"That's Hamm," Kitty-N whispered out of the side of her mouth. Frida backed up against the   
wall warily as Hamm waddled by. Another figure exited the same room, only it was clad in a   
large dark green jumpsuit and gas mask. "And that's Gas-O."  
  
"Sup Kitty?" Gas-O asked as he walked up to the girls and smacked Kitty-N on the behind.   
Kitty-N spun around and ripped four long gashed in the boys jumpsuit with her claws.  
  
"I told you not to touch me you little perv," Kitty-N growled and spun back around, smacking   
Gas-O with her tail.  
  
"Rawr," Gas-O imitated a cat screech. "So touchy. Hey, who's your friend?" Gas-O motioned   
towards Frida, who was still stretching out on the floor.  
  
"That's Frida. Now leave." Kitty-N grumbled. "You are too young to be such a lech!" Frida   
laughed as Kitty-N began to push Gas-O down the hallway. She stretched her arms above her   
head and lay back on the ground. She closed her eyes and focused on loosening every muscle   
in her body.  
  
"Frida huh?" a masculine voice came from above her. Frida jumped and her eyes shot open.   
Heat stood above her. He glared at her for a second and then scanned her body with his eyes.  
Instead of feeling relaxed as she usually did when meditating, Frida suddenly felt very   
prone. She scrambled to her feet and faced Heat.  
  
"Yeah, what's it to you?" Frida locked eyes with Heat. He smirked haughtily and pulled his   
eyes away. He focused on the wall for a second and looked back at her.   
  
"Nothing," he responded finally. "I'm just checking out my competition. Saw you and   
Nakajima dancing. Now I know I don't have anything to be worried about." Frida didn't   
respond. His words cut down to the insecurity that she'd try to hide away.  
  
"Heat, what do you want?!" Kitty-N shrieked as she returned from kicking Gas-O out of the   
building. Heat's eyes watched Kitty-N for a second and then returned to Frida. He stared   
at her for a moment and then walked away silently. "What did he want?" Kitty-N pulled her   
helmet off and shook her green hair out.  
  
"Oh, he was just messing with me," Frida responded, she turned just in time to see him exit   
the hallway. "I really can't stand him."  
  
"Ya know, it's weird. He hasn't exchanged more than a few words with any of the dancers,"   
Kitty-N pondered. "But he sure keeps after you...Maybe he's actually scared of the   
competition!" Frida laughed.  
  
"That boy is too stuck on himself to be scared of anything," Frida shook her head and picked   
up her workout bag. "Ugh, I'm starving. Can we grab a bite to eat?"  
  
"Sure!" Kitty-N beamed. "Actually, I think all the dancers were planning on meeting at the   
restaurant at the hotel."   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Kitty kitty kitty kittyyyyyyyyy!" a small girl ran up to Kitty-N as she and Frida returned   
to the hotel. "I went to the top of the Empire State Building! It was soooooo cooooool! I   
could see the dance studio from up there! It was awesome!" The little girl was dressed in   
white overalls and an oversized blue and white striped shirt. Her extra long brown hair was   
tied in two low pigtails and topped off with a backwards white baseball cap. Resting in her   
front pocket was a strangely large mouse.  
  
"This is Shorty, my roommate." Kitty-N smiled as she hugged the young girl. "Shorty, this is  
Frida."  
  
"Hello!" Shorty beamed and stuck her hand out for a handshake. Frida accepted it with a   
smile. "Oh! I gotta go say goodbye to Dad and Momma!" Shorty was off in a blast, running   
towards a handsome couple: a man dressed in a classy suit and a woman in a silky skirt and   
flowing blouse.  
  
"Hey Kitty-N, I'm going to go put my workout bag up. Go ahead and get a table, I'll meet you  
at the restaurant in a bit," Frida announced and went to catch an elevator.  
  
"Okay!" Kitty-N answered. "Come on Shorty! We have to go get dinner."  
  
"Cooooommiiiiing!" Shorty called back.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Frida walked quickly past Strike's room, the walls still shaking with rap music, and down the  
hall to her own room. She could hear music blasting in the room next to her's. It wasn't   
quite as loud as Strike's, and she liked it a lot better. The hip hop beat was nicer and she  
found herself swaying to the music as she slid her key card and threw her bag into her room.  
  
"Ya like my theme?" a familiar voice asked Frida. She sighed and turned to face Heat. He   
was standing in his doorway, one foot propped up non-chalantly on the door jam. He held an   
ice container under his right arm.  
  
"It's okay," Frida shrugged and slammed her door. "Mine's better."  
  
"Oh really!" Heat laughed.  
  
"Really," Frida spat. Heat's eyebrows raised in shock and he followed Frida as she walked   
down the hallway. "Stop following me."  
  
"I'm not following you," Heat laughed. "Why would I?"  
  
"Then what are you doing?!" Frida spun and jumped, surprised at how closely Heat was following   
her. She became suddenly aware again of how handsome he was.  
  
"I'm practicing," he laughed and leaned into her ear. "I need ice." Heat shook the ice   
container in her face and laughed again. Frida glowered and walked away.  
  
"Why don't you practice at the studio like everyone else?" She asked as she continued down   
the hallway.  
  
"I..." Heat paused. "I just don't want too!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Frida! Over here!" Kitty-N called as Frida entered the hotel's restaurant. Frida walked   
over and sat down at a table with Kitty-N, Shorty, Hiro, and Kelly. Hamm was seated at a   
nearby table with his own plate of around twenty hamburgers and on the other side of her was   
Gas-O getting a tarot reading from a tall, pink-haired, African woman.  
  
"Hi guys," Frida smiled and sat in the chair next to Kelly, who was trying to help Shorty   
decide what to get. Kitty-N was seated with Hiro, who had his arm wrapped around her.  
  
"Hi Frida!" Shorty squeeked. "What do you like better, chicken fingers or grilled cheese?"  
  
"Hmm, I'll have to say chicken fingers," Frida smiled and picked up a menu.   
  
"Okay, I'll get the chicken fingers and Columbo will have the grilled cheese!" Shorty   
announced. When the group finally received their food a high piercing ring sounded throughout   
the restaurant.  
  
"A fire alarm?" Kelly shouted over the insessant beeping.  
  
"Okay!" a waitress called. "Everyone out! This is not a drill. Please exit the building in   
an orderly fashion." Then she turned tail and ran out.  
  
"A FIRE?" Shorty shouted.  
  
"Don't worry Shortcakes," Kelly grabbed her hand and escorted her out of the hotel. Everyone   
followed closely behind. As the group left the building the fire engine pulled up.  
  
"I wonder what happened," Frida looked up the building for flames, and noticed some smoke   
billowing out of a second room window. "Umm...isn't that our floor?" Frida asked.  
  
"OH MY GAWD!" Kitty-N shrieked. "All my stuff!"  
  
"It is going to be fine Kitty," Hiro tried to calm down the frantic girl.  
  
"I hope Strike's okay," Kelly mentioned. As if on cue the 'gasta' made his appearance. He   
was being escorted by a fireman.  
  
"Get the fuck off me man," Strike shook the fireman off and strutted over to the dancer group.  
"Damn it," he shook his head as he looked up at the smoke.  
  
"Do you know what happened Strike?" Kelly asked.  
  
"That damn fireboy happened," Strike mumbled and lit a cigarette. "He was practicing his   
attacks and lit his damn bed on fire."  
  
"Is he okay?" Frida asked quietly.  
  
"Oh, I'm sure he is," Kitty-N interjected. "That idiot has a really high heat tolerance.   
Fire doesn't even hurt him. My stuff isn't fire resistant though!" Kitty-N yelled up at   
the second story.  
  
"Don't worry miss," a nearby fireman said. "The fire was contained quickly, it didn't make   
it past the room of origin. Everyone should be back in the hotel within a couple hours."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
After three hours Pinky had given every dancer and crew member a tarot reading, Strike had   
shown Kelly and Shorty his handguns and they were now playing Go Fish, and Kitty-N and Hiro   
had gone off on a moonlight walk. Frida sat on bench near Kelly, Strike, and Shorty, her   
legs crossed indian style, and was braiding her long silky blue hair into tiny plaits out of   
boredom. Frida barely noticed as a black man walked over to her. He was dressed in a shiny   
silver shirt and black cargo pants.  
  
"Are you Frida?" he asked. Frida raised a single eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah..." she responded slowly. He smiled a dazzling smile and sat down next to her.  
  
"I'm DJ Kickin', the host of the Bust A Groove Dance and Rythym Action Tournament," he   
introduced himself.  
  
"That's quite a title you got there," Frida smiled and continued to braid her hair. DJ   
Kickin' laughed softly and rested his forearms on his knees.   
  
"Listen, Frida, I have a favor to ask of you," he said.  
  
"What is it?" She asked.  
  
"Can Heat stay in your room tonight?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
to be continued...  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: Okay, seeing as how I know next to nothing about breakdancing please don't mock  
my attempts at describing it. I did all the research I could do, so I hope it's not too horrible  
to read! Anyway, enjoy!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
Groove Is In The Heart  
by Daeryn  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"WHAT?!" Frida slammed her feet to the ground and stared in disbelief at DJ Kickin'. DJ Kickin' j  
umped at her outburst and tried to calm her down.  
  
"Well, ya see Frida, Heat can't really stay in his room. It was either destroyed by the fire or   
has water damage from the fire-hoses," DJ Kickin' explained.  
  
"Does it have to be my room?" Frida asked miserably.  
  
"I've looked for any other free space on our floor, but all the rooms are filled. You are the   
only one with free space because Capoeira told us they didn't need a hotel room," DJ Kickin'   
responded. "Frida, please. This would really help us out."  
  
"Well," Frida sighed. "Since it's not actually my room, you guys are paying for it, I guess I   
can't refuse."  
  
"Great!" DJ Kickin smiled. "Heat should be back in a little while, he had to go to the police   
station for a bit. Oh, it looks like they're letting everyone back into the building."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Hey Frida!" Shorty yelled after the blue-haired dancer. "Ya wanna play some video games in my   
room?"  
  
"No thanks Shorty," Frida shook her head. "I think I'm just going to go to bed. We have a big   
day tomorrow!"  
  
"Okay!" Shorty skipped towards her room. "See ya tomorrow!" Frida nodded and waved. She   
wearily opened her hotel room and walked in. She turned on the radio and began brushing out all   
the braids she had woven into her long hair. Once she was done she started rummaging through   
her suitcase.  
  
"Now where are those pajamas?" Frida tossed clothes aside until she reached the bottom of the   
bag where the pajamas were, of course. She unwound her feet and tossed the bandages on a table.   
Then she slipped out of her blue and white camo pants and into her tie-dyed boxers. As she   
pulled her white sports bra over her head, the door opened and Heat walked in. Frida screamed   
and covered her bare chest. "Get OUT!" Heat stared at her in shock for a moment, focusing   
mainly on the recently exposed area. "OUT!" Frida shouted frantically again. Heat immediately   
turned and closed the door behind him. Frida quickly pulled her tie-dyed tank over her head and   
stomped over to the door. She nearly ripped the door off the hinges as she opened it. She found  
Heat leaning against the wall with a smirk on his face. "What do you think you were doing?!"   
Frida demanded. "And how did you get in?"  
  
"I have a key," Heat showed his key card. "It is my room."  
  
"It's our room," Frida spat. "Ever heard of knocking?"  
  
"Why should I knock when I get a greeting like that?" Heat pointed to Frida's chest as he walked   
past her and into the room. Frida was fuming, she couldn't even manage to get a single word out,   
so she marched into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. She could hear Heat laughing   
as she angrily brushed her teeth. Once she was done, she built up the courage and exited the   
bathroom. Heat had shoved all of the furniture to the sides of the room, had placed some sort of   
dance mat on the floor, and was practicing his break-dancing in the middle of the hotel room.  
  
"Don't set anything on fire," Frida grumbled.   
  
"Whatever," Heat mumbled. Frida glared at the b-boy.  
  
"And don't use my stereo." Frida crossed the room and turned off the boombox that was playing   
Heat's theme.  
  
"Hey bitch!" Heat stood straight and narrowed his eyes at Frida. "What do you think you're   
doing?!"  
  
"This is mine," Frida picked up the stereo. "If you want to use it, you can ask."  
  
"Whatever," Heat laughed. Frida set her stance and stared straight at Heat with unblinking eyes.  
"Lemme use your boombox, mine got trashed."  
  
"I have a name Heat," Frida responded calmly.  
  
"Lemme use your boombox...Frida," Heat spat.  
  
"Do I hear the magic word?" Frida widened her eyes in mock innocence and lifted a hand to her ear.   
She was enjoying this immensely. Heat grumbled and glared at his blue-haired roommate.  
  
"Come on," Heat pleaded angrily. Frida set the stereo down and stepped closer to the b-boy.  
  
"You're not getting anything until you treat me nice," Frida jabbed her finger into his chest.   
Heat grabbed her hand and pulled it down to his side. He wrenched her closer with his rough   
movement and looked sternly into her eyes.  
  
"May I please use your stereo, Frida?" he asked with a soft voice. Frida was shaken by his   
sudden attitude change.  
  
"F-fine," she answered nervously. Her eyes shook under his intense stare.  
  
"Thank you," he answered calmly. They stood there for a moment. Frida confused by his soft   
voice, but shaken more by his close proximity. She could smell smoke on his clothes, and the   
hand that held her was slightly warmer than another human's hand. Finally, she managed to pull   
her hand out of his grasp and backed away. Heat turned silently and turned the stereo back on.   
As he commenced his practice again, Frida watched for a moment. When she finally got over the   
shock she started rummaging through her bag.  
  
"Well, since you're practicing I guess I'm not going to be able to sleep," Frida tried to   
announce angrily, but came out weaker than she had hoped.  
  
Heat didn't respond.  
  
Frida pulled out her sketchpad and pencil and sat down on her bed, leaning against the wall it   
was pushed against. She opened to a clean page and tried to decide what to draw. Since nothing   
came to mind she just started moving her pen across the page. Frida glanced up at Heat, and   
watched him dance for a moment, but continued to move her pencil in some unknown motion.   
  
'He's a really good dancer,' Frida said to herself silently. 'Really good...' She frowned and   
finally looked back down at her sketchpad. Frida jumped slightly at what was taking form. It   
was definitely a human, though still in the sketch phase, and ...it was breakdancing. It was   
posed just as Heat had posed minutes before. Frida narrowed her eyes and looked at her sketch.   
Finally, she decided to go with it. Frida trusted her instincts, and if her subconscious had   
decided to draw Heat, she would draw Heat.  
  
Heat continued to dance for nearly another half-hour. Frida had managed to block out his theme   
after it played ten times. She was off in her own little world as she sketched away at her   
drawing. It was taking shape very nicely, and Frida was pleased. Unfortunately, because she was   
so absorbed in her drawing she didn't notice Heat stop dancing.  
  
"Whatcha drawin'?" Heat asked as he flopped onto the bed next to her and tried to sneak a peek at   
her sketchpad.  
  
"NOTHING!" Frida exclaimed and wrapped her arms protectively around her drawing. She couldn't   
let him see it, it was too embarrassing.  
  
"Well, if you ain't doing nothin' you can dance with me," Heat announced. Frida narrowed her   
eyes. He seemed innocent enough. Perhaps too innocent  
  
"I thought I wasn't competition for you," she responded. Heat shrugged and stretched out on the   
bed.  
  
"I need some type of competitor," he answered. "No matter how lame they may be." Frida glowered   
at his overconfident smile and stood.   
  
"We'll just see about that," she grumbled and shoved her sketchpad into her suitcase so Heat   
couldn't see.  
  
"Great!" Heat smiled and leaped off the bed.  
  
"However," Frida walked over to the boombox and pulled out Heat's tape. "I can't stand this song   
anymore. We're gonna use my theme." She then placed her tape in the stereo and pressed 'play.'  
Heat shrugged and laughed.  
  
"Like that'll make a difference," he responded. Frida chose to ignore his remark and started   
stretching out.  
  
"No attacks please," Frida warned Heat. "I think you've burned enough for one night."  
  
"Of course not!" Heat smiled. "It's just a friendly little match." The beginning beats of "Sora   
To Umi To Niji No Yume" began to float through the hotel room. "This is your favorite song?"   
Heat laughed. Frida glowered and began to step in time to her theme.  
  
As the song came to its end Frida had to admit to herself that Heat had done better. Though   
there was no meter, Frida had been dancing long enough to know. 'Damn it!' she yelled at herself.  
'I'm never going to win if I keep dancing like that!' Frida proceeded to give herself a mental   
beating.  
  
"Hey, you're not half bad," Heat told Frida as he came out of his victory pose.  
  
"Don't patronize me!" Frida shrieked and stomped over to her stereo. "We're going again!"  
  
"Actually, I'm kinda tired," Heat sighed. "I think I'll hit the sack." He pulled the ski cap   
off his head and kicked his shoes off.  
  
"Oh no you don't!" Frida grabbed Heat's shirt and pulled him back onto the makeshift dance floor.   
"We are going AGAIN!" Heat watched her wide-eyed as she rewound the tape and pressed 'play' once   
more. She took her place and took a deep breath. Her face took on a stern look of concentration   
and she began to move mechanically to the beat. After a couple of beats Frida missed a step.  
  
"Damn it!" she screamed and punched the 'stop' button on the boombox. "Damn it damn it damn it!"   
Heat watched in shock as Frida punched the wall in frustration. "OW!!! Damn it!" she screamed   
and shook her hand as she started hopping around the room in pain. Heat stifled a laugh. "You   
find this amusing?" Frida asked angrily. Heat coughed and wiped away the smile on his face.   
  
"Of course not," Heat cleared his throat. "Here, lemme see that." Heat caught her wrist and   
examined her hand. "Try to bend you fingers." Frida hissed in pain as she made a fist. "Okay,   
so nothing's broken. You'll be fine."   
  
"Allright..." Frida said slowly and bit her lip. Heat wasn't letting go of her wrist. Frida's   
heart started to beat a little faster in reaction to his touch. "Um, Heat? Can I have my hand   
back?" Frida asked softly.  
  
"Hmm?" Heat looked blankly into Frida's eyes. Finally realization dawned on him. "Oh, yeah,   
umm...sorry," he mumbled. Heat let go and ran his hand through his red hair. Frida smiled   
weakly and turned. "Wait, Frida, come here."  
  
"What?" Frida asked as she turned back around.  
  
"I wanna show you something," Heat waved her over.  
  
"What?" Frida asked again.  
  
"Just come here," Heat responded. "Okay, stand there." He rewound her tape and pressed play.   
"Go ahead and start."  
  
"What?" Frida was confused.  
  
"Dance!" Heat laughed.  
  
"No, I don't think so," Frida shook her head. "I think I just need to get some sleep."  
  
"No seriously," Heat encouraged. He rewound the tape again and started it. "I think I can give   
you a few pointers."  
  
"Yeah, sure," Frida rolled her eyes. But as the song began again, she started to dance. Frida   
tried to ignore Heat, but it was a little unnerving having him watch her so closely. She managed   
to dance fairly well. She was about halfway through when Heat stopped the tape. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Frida Frida Frida," Heat shook his head. Frida raised an eyebrow. "Get some attitude!"  
  
"Pardon?" Frida asked. Heat approached her quickly.  
  
"Listen, you got some great moves Frida. They are practically perfect...but...," Heat paused.   
"You look too nice."  
  
"What?!" Frida exclaimed.  
  
"Dance is all about attitude Frida," Heat responded. "You ain't got any."   
  
"Attitude?" Frida placed her hands on her hips.  
  
"Mmhmm," Heat nodded. "Think of it as an argument with the music, but you can't use words, you   
have to use your body. Don't be afraid to move." Frida bit her bottom lip as she listened to   
Heat's strangely sensitive words.  
  
"If you don't, you're gonna lose so bad," Heat laughed. Frida sighed in exasperation.  
  
"You really know how to ruin the mood don't you," she mumbled.  
  
"Whatdya say?" Heat asked.  
  
"Nothing..." Frida grumbled. "Okay then. Start the tape again." Heat rewound the tape and   
started it once more. Frida started to step in beat and began to perform her dance.  
  
"Attitude Frida!" Heat shouted. Frida narrowed her eyes and tried to focus on 'attitude'.  
  
"I'm trying!" Frida shouted back. Heat shook his head and stepped behind Frida. He grabbed her   
hips and started to move them in time with the music. Frida's cheeks flared red at his touch.  
  
"Remember the argument Frida!" Heat reminded her. His breath brushed across her ear and Frida   
shivered. Frida started to swing her arms as she stepped back and forth to the music. "There   
ya go!" Heat stepped back. Frida immediately missed the warmth of his body next to hers but she   
continued to dance strong. New blood seemed to flow through her veins as she danced her heart   
out.  
  
"Yeah!" Heat clapped as Frida finished the song with a perfect 'Freeze.' Frida felt incredibly   
invigorated and she jumped into the air.  
  
"Yaahoooo!!!," she exclaimed happily. "Oh Heat thank you! That was really amazing. I don't   
know what happened, but...oh, I don't know!" Frida smiled again and jumped happily.  
  
"Alright then," Heat smirked. "Now it's time for some break-dancing."  
  
"B-b-break-dancing?" Frida asked nervously.  
  
"Sure!" Heat responded and then changed tapes. "You're gonna learn some Top Rock today." Heat   
took the ready position and then jumped with his right leg in a diagonal, skipped back to his   
left, then returned to the standing position and repeated the movement with his left leg.  
  
"Ha!" Frida laughed. "I can do that!" She then commenced to mimic the action Heat had performed.  
  
"That was okay," Heat replied.  
  
"Okay?!" Frida shrieked. "What was wrong with it?"  
  
"Now here is a 'swipe'," Heat suddenly bent back into a bridge and kicked his left hand and foot   
into the air, then repeated the action with his right hand and foot. He went back and forth for   
a while, springing into the air in time with the music, until he returned to his standing   
position. Frida was a little nervous as she twisted into a bridge, but she pulled off the   
'swipe' without any difficulties.  
  
"Aww snap," Frida grinned. "Look's like this lame dancer can breakdance just as good as you!"   
Heat glowered.   
  
"We'll just see about that," he frowned and started dancing. Heat was a flurry of arms and legs   
as he busted up the dance floor. Frida recognized the 'Top Rock' and 'Swipe' she had learned,   
but the rest was a mystery. He spun and twisted as Frida watched in amazement. "How bout ya do   
that" Frida pursed her lips and glared at Heat. She couldn't let him win.  
  
"I'd like to see you do this," Frida headed towards the door. "Come on Pyro!" Frida exited the   
room and looked down the hallway. "Good, no one's here," Frida then looked up at the ceiling.   
"It should be tall enough..."  
  
She took a deep breath and lifted her hands above her head. In a blink Frida was off into a   
series of cartwheels, roundoffs, backflips, no handed-cartwheels, and spins until she ended in   
the splits at the other end of the hallway. As she returned to the room she answered Heat's   
unspoken question. "I took gymnastics before I started dancing," Frida beamed.  
  
Heat paused and waited for the blue-haired girl to enter the room. "How bout we call it a draw?"   
he suggested.  
  
"Okay Heat," Frida smiled. "Well, I'm gonna get a drink of water and go to bed. I've had enough   
excitement for one night." And with that she entered the bathroom. After gulping down a glass   
of water Frida exited the bathroom to see a shirtless Heat stripping off his pants. "AHH! What   
do you think you're doing?"  
  
"Getting ready for bed. Duh," Heat rolled his eyes and finished taking off his pants, leaving   
him only in his boxers. "What, are you embarrassed?"  
  
"NO!" Frida responded angrily, her cheeks flaring. She grabbed the comforter off the end of the   
bed and tossed it onto the ground. Then she yanked back the covers on the bed and jumped in.  
  
"Hey! Where am I supposed to sleep?!" Heat demanded as Frida snuggled in. "There's only one   
bed!"  
  
"Floor," she responded with a yawn and pointed weakly to the blanket she had left on the ground.  
  
"Oh that's so not going to happen," Heat shook his head. "You're going to have to share." He   
pulled back the covers and started to get into bed.  
  
"HEY!" Frida shrieked and sat up. "Get out of my bed you pervert!"  
  
"I'm not a pervert!" Heat shouted. "I just don't wanna sleep on the floor! Come on, you got   
plenty of room. It's a freakin' king sized bed." He started to pull the covers up when Frida   
snatched them back.  
  
"Stop that!" she demanded.  
  
"Don't be selfish Frida," Heat shook his finger in her face. "How am I supposed to dance well   
tomorrow if I sleep on the ground?" Frida paused, realizing that Heat was right. It was only   
fair.  
  
'Why did they have to give me a room with a king sized bed instead of two doubles?' Frida asked   
herself.  
  
"Fine Heat," Frida released the blankets. "But don't try anything!"  
  
"Like I would want to," Heat huffed. Frida growled, grabbed her pillow, and swung it into the   
side of his head. Heat nearly fell off the bed due to the unexpected blow. "Hey! What was   
that for?!" Frida frowned and took back her pillow. With a grumble she snuggled back into the   
bed, facing away from Heat. "Frida?" he asked. She remained silent. "Fridaaaa?" he called   
again. "Fffffrrriiiiiddddaaaaaa?" he continued to pester her.  
  
"WHAT?!" Frida flipped and faced Heat with staring eyes.   
  
"G'night," he smiled. Heat then turned off the lamp and went to sleep.  
  
"Goodnight," Frida replied.  



	3. Untitled

Frida moaned groggily as she awoke. It was still dark, so she could sleep longer. Frida was all too happy to close her   
eyes again pull the covers back up to her shoulders. After a few moments, she felt the blanket being taken from her and   
she yanked on it to keep it in her possession. Frida heard a soft moan come from beside her as the blankets were pulled   
away again. She was still half-asleep as she took a firm grip on the comforter and heaved with all the tired strength   
she could muster.  
  
"Stop iiiiiit," Frida heard a low voice growl. Frida opened her cloudy eyes to see an arm reach over her and seize and   
end of the blanket.  
  
"You stop," Frida murmured, her eyes already closing with exhaustion. "It's mine." She grabbed the hand weakly to stop   
it.  
  
"I'm cold too," Heat mumbled and gave a weak attempt to pull the covers back.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The next time Frida woke up, she could see sunlight bouncing off of the walls. This time she had to get out of bed. As   
she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand she rolled onto her back. When her mind started to clear of sleep she   
realized that Heat's arm was draped across her abdomen, still grasping the blanket they had fought over during the night.   
Frida glanced at the red-haired boy to her right. His usually fierce expression had softened during the night of sleep   
and the morning sunlight reflected brightly off his auburn locks. She smiled and closed the distance between their faces.  
  
"Hey Heat," she whispered. "I thought you said no funny business." Heat's eyes opened slightly, only to close again.   
He rustled slightly and Frida was surprised to feel herself being pulled closer to the sleeping dancer. He rested his   
head on her shoulder and Frida held her breath. Frida blushed crazily at Heat's touch. Too shocked to say anything, she   
tried to wriggle out of his grasp. All of the movement finally woke Heat up and he glanced down at Frida.  
  
"Trying to snuggle up with me in my sleep, eh?" Heat smirked. Frida glowered and grabbed her pillow. With a growl she   
smothered his face with it. Heat grabbed the edges of the pillow and pushed it away from his face.  
  
"You are so infuriating!" Frida pummeled Heat's chest with her fists.  
  
"You hit like a girl," Heat laughed. "It feels like feathers!" Frida narrowed her eyes. "It's kinda like…this!" In one   
swift movement Heat had Frida pinned to the bed. Frida laughed uncontrollably as Heat's fingers tickled her ribcage. She   
was unable to free herself due to the giggles that racked her body.  
  
"Ah! S-s-stop it!" Frida managed to say between snorts of laughter. Her arms and legs flailed in failed attempts to stop   
the assault. Finally Heat stopped and Frida gasped for breath. Her flushed face was surrounded by unruly blue hair and   
her chest heaved with deep breaths.  
  
"Give up?" Heat asked.  
  
"Never," she responded.  
  
"Oh really?" Heat raised his hands to show his intent to continue his assault of tickles.  
  
"NO! DON'T! I give! I give!" Frida shouted and instinctively wrapped her arms around her ribs.  
  
"Good. Glad to see you've come to your senses," Heat smiled. Frida rolled her eyes and tried to sit back up, but Heat   
pinned her down again. "Wait."  
  
"ACK! What now?" Frida's smile was still intact after the tickling, but she immediately sobered at Heat's intense gaze.   
Heat stared into her eyes, but didn't say a word. Heat smoothed the hair around her face and rested his fingers on her   
cheek for a moment. He finally just released her and went into the bathroom.  
  
'What was that about?' Frida asked herself as she got out of bed. She wasn't sure if she was breathing heavily because   
of the tickling or because of something else. Finally, she stretched her arms above her head and yawned deeply. 'Got   
to wake up now. Big day…' Frida grabbed her clothes for the competition and waited for Heat to finish in the bathroom.  
  
"Come on! Some of us have to shower!" Frida knocked on the bathroom door. She felt strangely invigorated, but she wrote   
it off as excitement over the coming competition.  
  
"Can't a man piss in peace!" Heat shouted back. Frida continued to pound on the door until Heat pulled it open angrily.   
"For cryin' out loud! There!"  
  
"Thank you," Frida smiled, snuck into the bathroom, and slammed the door in his face. As Frida showered, once in a while   
she would hear Heat pound on the door.  
  
"Don't use all the hot water!" he shouted. Frida eventually finished and allowed Heat to take his shower. "'Bout damn   
time," he muttered as he shut the door in her face. Frida hummed happily as she brushed her long hair till it dried.   
By then Heat was finished with his shower. She blushed as he exited the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his   
waist. He grabbed his clothes and re-entered the bathroom.  
  
"Oh, shoot," Frida sighed when she realized her headband was sitting next to the sink in the bathroom. She opened the   
bathroom door a crack, hoping to be able to grab the headband without Heat noticing. But when she saw his reflection in   
the large hotel mirror she couldn't help opening the door all the way and leaning against the doorway. Frida smiled and   
exclaimed, "Hey, nice ass ya got there Heat!"   
  
"What th- FRIDA!" Heat spun to face his roommate, covering himself with a clean pair of boxers. She laughed heartily and   
quickly snatched her headband. Before Heat could react further Frida closed the door on the nude b-boy. Eventually a   
fuming Heat exited the bathroom and glared at Frida.   
  
"Hey, you peeped at me," Frida smiled and pointed at Heat accusingly. As she continued her morning stretches she started   
to giggle. "I sooooo got you back."  
  
"I'm going to eat breakfast," he muttered.  
  
"Aww, Heat!" Frida stood up and approached the b-boy. "Don't be mad! Now we're even, that's all!"  
  
"I'm not mad," Heat responded gruffly and picked up his hat. He pulled it over his hair and began to exit the room.  
  
"Yes you are!" Frida laughed.  
  
"I'm going now," Heat replied.  
  
'Maybe I pushed him too far,' she thought to herself. 'What should I do now?'  
  
"Hey! Wait for me," Frida called, grabbed her bag, and chased Heat out of the room. "I said wait!" Heat continued down   
the hall and Frida ran after him. Without thinking she jumped onto his back.  
  
"What the-," Heat jumped as Frida's arms wrapped around his neck, and her legs around his waist. "Get off me woman!"  
  
"I said wait," Frida tightened her grip as Heat tried to pry off her legs.  
  
"Let me go!" Heat shouted.  
  
"Nuh uh," Frida shook her head and then rested her chin on his shoulder. Frida knew that if Heat really wanted her off,   
he could get her off. It made her happy to know that he was not really trying.  
  
"Ooo! Piggyback rides!" Shorty shouted as she approached Frida and Heat. "Me next! Me next!"  
  
"I'm not giving piggyback rides kid," Heat snapped.  
  
"But, Frida is on-" Shorty began.  
  
"It's not my choice!" Heat tried weakly to get Frida off his back. "What did you smoke woman!"  
  
"Nothin', I'm just trying to cheer you up!" Frida replied. "See Shorty, he's really embarrassed, cause I saw his-"  
  
"Don't tell her that!" Heat shouted.  
  
"Well, then lets go get some breakfast," Frida decided.  
  
"Yay!" Shorty squeaked and entered the elevator.  
  
"Come on Heat, Giddy-up!" Frida urged the boy forward and into the elevator.  
  
"Yeah yeah," Heat grumbled and walked forward. Once he got into the elevator Frida leaned forward and kissed his cheek.  
  
"Thanks for the ride Heat," she smiled and jumped off his back.  
  
"Uh…sure," Heat stuttered.  
  
"Ooo! Smootchie-smootchie!" Shorty giggled and jumped around the elevator.  
  
"Shut-up kid!" Heat fumed.  
  
"Eep!" Shorty squeaked and hid behind Frida. "Scary Heat!"  
  
"I'm not scary!" Heat snapped. The elevator door opened into the hotel lobby and Shorty shot out.   
  
"Come on you guys!" the child called over her shoulder.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"How can such a small kid eat so much?" Gas-O gaped as he watched Shorty gobble up a pile of pancakes.  
  
"Mmm, they taste good!" Shorty smiled and gulped down some of her milk.  
  
"Ooo, I'm too nervous to eat," Kelly picked at her scrambled eggs.  
  
"There's no need to be nervous Kelly," Heat said with a mouth full of bacon.  
  
"Why's that Heat?" Kelly asked.  
  
"Cause we all know I'm going to win!" he smiled. The entire table of dancers glared at the b-boy. Frida kicked him   
from across the table. "Hey! Watch it bi-" Heat stopped as Frida glared at him. He mumbled under his breath and   
returned to his bacon.  
  
"You really don't need to be nervous Kelly," Frida said to the blonde. "Even if you don't win, you've gotten this   
far. That's an accomplishment in itself."  
  
"What Frida says is correct," Hiro added. "We are finalists in the greatest dance tournament in all of history!"  
  
"Yeah!" Strike shouted in agreement and took a swig out of his flask.  
  
"Ya'll are still gonna lose," Heat laughed. "Hey, where ya going Frida?" Heat asked as Frida scooted her chair   
angrily away from the table.  
  
"I'm done," she sneered at Heat. Then she turned to the rest of the dancers and smiled, "Well, I'm finished! I   
think I'm going to head over to the studio to warm up before the tourney begins."  
  
"Hey, Frida! Wait a sec," Heat scrambled out of the booth and followed the girl.  
  
"Heat spent the night in Frida's room," Kitty-N whispered to Kelly once the artist and b-boy had left.  
  
"Oh! Oh! And Frida kissed him in the elevator!" Shorty piped in with a mouthful of pancake.  
  
"Chew, hon," Kelly warned Shorty.  
  
"Woowoo!" Gas-O whistled. "Guess Heat got some."  
  
"Nothing happened," Pinky reported.  
  
"How would you know?" Gas-O replied.  
  
"I know all," Pinky stated. Gas-O rolled his eyes behind his mask. "I saw that, boy."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"What the hell is your problem?!" Heat demanded when he finally caught up with Frida.  
  
"MY problem?!" Frida spun to face him.  
  
"Yeah! Who else would I be talking about?" Heat replied angrily. "First you're kicking me under the table, th-"  
  
"Because you were being an asshole! Life isn't a constant competition Heat! You don't have to act so macho and   
superior all the time," Frida shrieked.  
  
"Frida, it is a competition," Heat responded. "I'm hear to win. Nothing else." Frida looked up at Heat, her   
eyes shimmering slightly in the sunlight.  
  
"That's what I thought," she replied quietly. "I wanted to be your friend Heat. You can be self-absorbed and crude,   
but I think you are a really fun guy to hang out with. But we can never be friends if the only thought in your mind   
is winning. That's no way to live your life Heat. You'll never be happy if that's all you're worried about." Frida   
turned and walked away from Heat.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"LOOK!!! It's FRIDA!!!" somebody shouted as Frida turned the corner towards the studio.  
  
"Huh?" Frida looked in shock at the huge group of people that had gathered outside of Enix Studios. The masses of   
young and old pushed against the police blockades that had been set up around the building. She was frozen as a horde   
of individuals swarmed her. Camera flashes and questions filled the air around her.  
  
"Can I have your autograph?"  
  
"How bout a picture?"  
  
"Please go out with me!"  
  
"DANCE FOR US!"  
  
"Umm…uhh," Frida blushed, not sure what to do.  
  
"Hey, give 'er some space," a voice demanded. An arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her close. Frida looked up   
to see a red-haired youth.  
  
"Heat…" Frida whispered.  
  
"Frida, I'm s-," he began.  
  
"OH MY GAWD! HEEEEEEEEEEEEAT!" girls shrieked and reached out hands to touch him.   
  
"We love you Heat!" girls shouted from the crowd. Pads of paper and pens were thrust at the dancers. Both obliged the   
Bust A Groove fans and signed autographs till their hands nearly fell off. Finally, the crowd's attention was diverted   
to the new group of dancers that arrived: Kitty-N and Hiro.  
  
"Hiro-kun! Hiro-kun! Hiro-kun!" girls shrieked. Kitty-N glared at the pre-teens that crowded around her new boyfriend.   
Luckily, before she had a chance to harm the poor teenyboppers Kitty-N's attention was taken by a group of individuals   
demanding her own autograph.   
  
At first, Frida found Kitty-N's jealousy amusing, until she got a dose of it herself. After she signed her last autograph   
Frida looked for Heat. She found him with a group of unbelievably cute teenage girls. Unbelievably cute teenage girls that   
were hanging all over him. And Heat was enjoying it a bit too much.  
  
'Am I jealous?' Frida asked herself as she watched Heat kiss each girl on the cheek. 'How can I be jealous? Sure Heat is   
cute, but he is a total jerk! He's so obsessed with winning that there is no chance of a good relationship with him.'  
  
Heat was now showing off some dance moves for the swooning teenyboppers.  
  
'If I'm not jealous, then why is my stomach turning?' Frida frowned. 'Why is my heart pounding?'  
  
Frida's breath caught in her throat when she saw Heat look over at her. His attention was almost immediately taken back by   
one of the scantily clad girls. Frida's frown deepened, 'He thinks he's so freaking cool. No, I'm not jealous.' Ignoring   
all of the requests for pictures and signatures, Frida stomped into the building.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I'm not jealous," Frida repeated to herself as she bound her feet. "I'm not jealous."  
  
"Jealous of what?" a voice asked. Frida started and looked over her shoulder to face Kitty-N.  
  
"Nothing," Frida replied.  
  
"Don't lie to me Frida. Cats can tell if you're lying," Kitty-N motioned to her cat-eared helmet and smiled. "It's like a   
sixth sense."  
  
"It's nothing important," Frida returned to her bandaging.  
  
"I bet it is," Kitty-N replied and sat down next to Frida. The blue-haired dancer sighed.  
  
"It's…it's just a stupid schoolgirl crush," Frida shook her head. "Nothing I should even be worried about. I'm too old to   
have crushes anyway."  
  
"Who is it?" Kitty-N smiled. Frida remained silent. "Oh, come on! Tell me! I promise not to tell. Cross my heart and hope   
to die," Kitty-N said and then leaned in closer. "Please?"  
  
"…Heat," Frida whispered.  
  
"NAAAAAAANNIII?" Kitty-N snapped back, her eyes bulging out. "Are you insane?!"   
  
"I told you it was stupid! But…," Frida shrugged. "He's cute."  
  
"So what if he's cute! He's a complete asshole," Kitty-N shrieked.  
  
"But he can be really fun too," Frida replied.  
  
"Frida! Snap out of it! Heat is never nice. Even if he appears to be so, it's just an act to catch you off-guard so he can   
win!" Kitty-N shook the blue-haired girl's shoulders. "Didn't you see him hitting on those fangirls outside?"  
  
"Yes…" Frida glowered.  
  
"AHH! You can NOT be jealous!" Kitty-N shrieked. "Oh, wonderful. There he is." Frida turned to see Heat walk into the room.  
  
"Great…" Frida mumbled.  
  
"Frida, listen to me," Kitty-N whispered. "Just forget about Heat. Focus on your dancing."  
  
"Okay," Frida replied and managed to smile a bit.  
  
"Hey, Frida?" Heat asked as he crossed the room. "Can I talk to you?"  
  
"No! We're going to go practice!" Kitty-N stepped in between Heat and Frida and glared at the b-boy.  
  
"Sorry, no time for practice right now Kitty Nakajima," DJ Kickin' poked his head into the room. "All the dancers are needed in   
the main auditorium. We're announcing the first round! Come on!"  
  
"Yeah! Come on!" Shorty rushed into the room and grabbed Kitty-N's hand. "Let's goooooooo!" she urged as she pulled the cosplay   
dancer out of the room. Frida began to follow when Heat grabbed her shoulder and turned her around.  
  
"Wait, Frida," Heat said. "I have to talk to you."  
  
"About what Heat?" Frida snapped and backed out of his reach. "Do you want to tell me how bad a dancer I am? Do you want to remind   
me that you're going to win and that I don't have a chance? Well, you know what? I don't care! There, now we have nothing to discuss.   
So stop hassling me and just leave me alone." Frida spun around and left the room.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Frida waited nervously offstage with the rest of the dancers as DJ Kickin' addressed the crowd. Heat had tried to talk to her again,   
but Kitty-N had held him at bay. Loud cheers and applause filled the ears of the waiting dancers. Shorty kept trying to peek out of   
the curtains to see the audience, but continually got pushed back by stagehands.  
  
"Damn it, calm down already," Strike told Shorty. The kid stuck her tongue out and returned to watching the audience.  
  
"And now for the dancers!" DJ Kickin' announced.  
  
"Here we go," Kelly whispered anxiously.  
  
"You've read about them in the programs, but now you finally get to see them!" DJ Kickin's shouted. "The first competitors are Heat   
and Hiro!"  
  
"You two, GO!" the stagehand pointed to Heat and Hiro. The two dancers ran onto the stage. Heat raised his arms in an effort to pump   
up the crowd.  
  
"He's really eating it up," Kitty-N murmured. "Too bad he's not nearly as cute as my Hiro."  
  
"Hiro-kun!"  
  
"Hiro-kun!"  
  
"Hiro-kun!"  
  
"I hate it when they do that," Kitty-N growled deeply.  
  
"Don't worry about it Kitty-N," Frida hugged her friend. "Hiro only has eyes for you."  
  
"The next pair of dancers are Shorty and Hamm!" DJ Kickin' yelled.  
  
"Let's go!" the stagehand urged. "Come on kid, move it!" Shorty kicked his shin angrily and she ran out on stage, followed by a   
burger-eating Hamm. "OW! Damn kid."  
  
"The third duo is Frida and Pinky!" DJ Kickin' cried out.  
  
"Good luck Frida!" Kitty-N patted Frida on the back.  
  
"Thanks Kitty-N!" Frida whispered as she followed Pinky up the stairs onto the stage. Heat, Hiro, Shorty, and Hamm were sitting in   
chairs behind DJ Kickin's podium. She waved at the audience before she took her seat. Frida noticed Heat watching her, but refused   
to meet his gaze.  
  
"Now lets hear it for our fourth group of competitors: Strike and Burger-Dog!" DJ Kickin' shouted.  
  
"Burger? Where?" Hamm stood, but Hiro pushed him back into his seat.   
  
"I can't believe I'm dancing against an fuckin dog," Strike mumbled when he took his seat next to Frida. "He doesn't have any damn   
elbows or knees for cryin' out loud!"  
  
"And our fifth couple of dancers is Gas-O and Kelly!" DJ Kickin' announced. Frida nearly choked on her own tongue when she saw what   
Kelly was wearing. She'd always seen Kelly in a business suit, so the latex baby suit was a drastic change.  
  
"And our last group of dancers is Kitty-N and Columbo!" DJ Kickin' broadcast. Frida giggled when she saw Kitty-N's frown.  
  
"Yay Columbo!" Shorty clapped.  
  
"Let's Bust a Groove!" DJ Kickin' screamed as the audience broke into a huge round of applause.  



	4. Chapter Four

~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Groove Is In The Heart  
  
by Daeryn  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The coins were tossed and the stages were decided. Heat and Hiro  
  
would dance on Hiro's stage. Frida and the rest of the dancers were  
  
ushered off stage and through the hallways of the building. After  
  
many corners and staircases they were lead onto a stage, converted  
  
into a disco.  
  
"Just as I described it!" Hiro smiled. "I feel as if I were at home!"  
  
"Hiro, you're going to have to take me to this disco when the  
  
competition is over." Kitty-N shouted as she walked across the lighted  
  
floor. "This is awesome!"  
  
"Yes yes," Hiro nodded. "I love the disco."  
  
"Dancers! Please take your seats," DJ Kickin' announced as he walked  
  
up the stairs of the auditorium and into the control booth. "The  
  
audience should be arriving soon." With that, the ever present  
  
stagehands pushed all the dancers off stage.  
  
"You are such a meanie-head!" Shorty whined and pushed a stagehand  
  
back. He sighed and left the child alone.  
  
"Come on Shorty," Kelly waved her over. "They can't start the tourney  
  
if you're on the stage, hon."  
  
"Oh, oops!" Shorty squeaked and left the stage. The stagehand mumbled  
  
several curses as he started checking lights for the final time.  
  
Frida turned her attention from the stagehand to Hiro. Everyone was  
  
wishing him good luck, as he watched the audience enter.  
  
"Good luck Hiro-kun!" Kitty-N hugged the Italian man. "You are going  
  
to do wonderful."  
  
"Yeah, break a leg Hiro," Kelly smiled.  
  
"Kick Pyro's ass," Strike smiled roughly.  
  
"You can do it!" Shorty squeaked before she went off to dance with  
  
Columbo.  
  
"Bring me more hamburgers Dog!" Hamm yelled at an obviously tired  
  
Burger-Dog.  
  
"Go get 'em," Gas-O mumbled absent-mindedly as he tinkered with some  
  
sort of control. Frida glanced over at Heat. He was stretching out  
  
his arms and staring blankly at the stage.  
  
'No one is wishing him good luck,' she noted. 'That's what you get  
  
when you isolate yourself like he has.' Frida quickly averted her  
  
gaze when he looked over at her. She did her best to subdue the blush  
  
that crept up her cheeks. 'Stop it Frida!' she told herself.  
  
"Hiro!" Frida shouted quickly. "I hope you win!" She looked back at  
  
Heat and glared quickly, before turning back to her friend. "Good  
  
luck."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Finally all of the audience had entered the auditorium. DJ Kickin'  
  
didn't waste anytime getting the show started. The tournament went  
  
off with a bang and the audience loved the disco stage and light.  
  
Shouts of "Hiro-kun" echoed repeatedly during the dance, much to  
  
Kitty-N's annoyance. Yet in the end, Heat was declared the winner.  
  
"Oh Hiro-kun," Kitty-N cooed as she clung to the arm of the defeated  
  
disco dancer. She hissed as a self-satisfied Heat strolled by. "You  
  
must be so proud." The comment seemed to roll off Heat. He didn't  
  
react in the slightest.  
  
"Congratulations Heat," Frida mumbled as he walked by. He stopped,  
  
but continued to look straight ahead.  
  
"Dancing is my life Frida," he said quietly. "It's all I have. If I  
  
don't have that.I don't know what I would do."  
  
"Heat-" Frida shook her head.  
  
"I do want more," he said, still facing away from her. He slowly  
  
reached his hand out. Their fingers brushed for a moment and he  
  
pulled away. "I just don't know how." Frida blinked numbly and Heat  
  
walked on.  
  
''Wow Heat!" Shorty jumped around the b-boy. "You dance real good!  
  
Can you show me how you do that thing when you spin on your head?  
  
That was my favorite. Oh! And that time that you-"  
  
"Maybe later kid," Heat responded monotonously. Frida didn't have  
  
much time to contemplate Heat's actions as the entire group was  
  
escorted out of the auditorium and back into the maze of hallways.  
  
"Alright kids!" DJ Kickin' stopped the procession for a moment. "Next  
  
up is Shorty and Hamm. Are you guys ready?"  
  
"Yeah buddy!" Shorty jumped up and down, waving her arms around.  
  
"Mmm reey aaeee," Hamm mumbles with a mouth full of hamburger.  
  
"You're gonna choke one of these days, man," Gas-O told the huge  
  
dancer. Hamm responded by shoving more food into his mouth.  
  
"Umm...anyway," DJ Kickin' raised a single eyebrow. "It is going to  
  
be held on Hamm's stage. Which is a recreation of a fast-food  
  
restaurant."  
  
"Fast-food!" Hamm exclaimed, spewing hamburger bits everywhere.  
  
"EEEWWWW!!!" Short wiped her face off with an oversized sleeve. "That  
  
is sooooo gross. I'm all covered in chewed burger!"  
  
"We can go wash it off before the competition begins Shorty," Kelly  
  
reassured her.  
  
"You're gonna get it now dude!" Shorty shouted as Kelly lead her to a  
  
bathroom. "No more Ms. Nice-Shortyyyyyy!!!!" Hamm seemed unfazed by  
  
the little girls uncharacteristic outburst.  
  
"You mentioned fast food?" Hamm asked DJ Kickin'. "Are we ordering  
  
out?"  
  
"No, we're not ordering out Hamm..." DJ Kickin' shook his head. "Okay,  
  
let's get going! Follow me!" The dancers continued through the back  
  
hallways of the studio. Frida noticed Kitty-N was walking alone so  
  
she slowed down till she was next to the cat girl.  
  
"Hey, where did Hiro go?" she asked.  
  
"He was really upset with losing," Kitty-N answered soberly. "I think  
  
he's up in his room."  
  
"He's not gonna watch the rest of the tournament?" Frida questioned.  
  
"Well, he better come down to watch me dance!" Kitty-N creased her  
  
eyebrows and clenched her fist in mock anger.  
  
"I'm sure he will," Frida smiled reassuringly. "He wouldn't miss it  
  
for the world. He'll be rooting for ya right next to me!" Kitty-N  
  
returned the smile and quickened her pace happily.  
  
'I wish I had someone I loved rooting for me,' Frida thought to herself.  
  
Unvoluntarily she glanced over to Heat, who was walking right behind  
  
DJ Kickin'. He seemed zoned off from the rest of the group, keeping  
  
completely to himself, a blank look covering his face. 'He's probably  
  
reliving his win over and over again in his head,' Frida spat mentally.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Shorty lived up to her threat. As the song came to a close, Hamm lay  
  
dazed on the floor of the fake burger shop.  
  
"She must really hate getting covered in chewed up bits of hamburger,"  
  
Frida blinked as Shorty finished up her 'Fever Time.' "It really must  
  
have struck a nerve."  
  
"Uhh...yeah," was all Kitty-N could say, still in shock. Kitty-N  
  
backed quickly away from the exit as Shorty came skipping off the  
  
stage. All the anger that had filled her dancing only moments before  
  
had disappeared, she was the same old Shorty again.  
  
"You were...really good Shorty," Frida managed to choke out.  
  
"Aww, thanks!" Shorty placed a hand behind her head. "I just really  
  
wanted to win I guess." A stretcher carrying Hamm passed by the group.  
  
"Holy CRAP!" Gas-O exclaimed. "You beat the livin' daylights outta  
  
that guy! Remind me not to piss you off!" Kelly smacked the boy  
  
upside his head.  
  
"You feelin' okay Shorty?" the blonde asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine...why?" Shorty replied innocently.  
  
"Well, you just...well...," Kelly stammered, not quite sure how to  
  
explain what exactly she had seen Shorty manage on stage. "Oh  
  
nevermind. You did great."  
  
"Thank you!" Shorty beamed.  
  
"Let's go people! We have one more competition before the lunch  
  
break!" DJ Kickin' announced as he opened the stage door. "Up next is  
  
Frida and Pinky!"  
  
"Uh oh," Frida couldn't manage to follow the dancers into the hallway.  
  
She sat down in a nearby chair, placed her head in between her knees,  
  
and breathed deeply. The butterflies that had taken flight in her  
  
stomach settled down slightly and she sat back up. Much to her  
  
surprise she saw Heat standing in the doorway watching her. "He-"  
  
she began.  
  
"Move it!" Kitty-N bumped the b-boy aside and entered the backstage  
  
area. Heat rolled his eyes and walked away. "Frida! What are you  
  
doing?"  
  
"I-I got kinda nervous," Frida responded.  
  
"You don't have time to be nervous!" Kitty-N grabbed Frida's wrist  
  
and pulled her to her feet. "You gotta dance!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Frida had never known more terror than what swept through her when  
  
she stepped on the stage. The stands filled with spectators seemed  
  
to fill the sky. She could barely keep herself from running off the  
  
stage in fright.  
  
'Why am I doing this?' Frida asked herself as she stared blankly at  
  
the massive crowd in front of her. 'Stop it! You have to prove to  
  
yourself that you can do this.' Frida shook her head to clear away  
  
any misgivings, but they all returned when the sound of the spectators  
  
reached her ears. 'Come on, loosen up,' she told herself and began to  
  
stretch out. 'Look, it's your stage. It's just like your studio at  
  
home...just with thousands of people watching! AHHH!!! STOP IT!'  
  
Frida mentally smacked herself. She looked down at the sidelines and  
  
saw Kitty-N waving and flashing a victory sign.  
  
"You can do it Frida!" Kitty-N shouted. Kelly and Shorty each gave  
  
her a thumbs up. Strike and Gas-O gave her a nod of recognition,  
  
because they were far too cool to do anything else. Heat was standing  
  
silently, his arms crossed. Frida was caught totally off guard as  
  
Heat smiled and raised his right hand. His index and middle fingers  
  
were crossed.  
  
"Good Luck," he mouthed.  
  
The confusion that filled Frida's mind had to be ignored. The mixed  
  
signals that she'd been recieving from Heat had to be forgotten if she  
  
was going to win her dance battle. She had to force herself not to  
  
look over at Heat once the song began. It was hard enough dealing with  
  
her own insecurities without thinking about her feelings for Heat and how she was supposed to deal with them.  
  
'Remember why you're here!' Frida told herself as lyrics filled the  
  
air. But luckily Frida was able to repress all thoughts other than  
  
dancing. The fact that she was so familiar with her own song and stage really helped the matter. And, as the song came to an end, Frida was exhausted but smiling.  
  
She'd won.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
to be continued...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	5. Fifth Chapter

~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Groove Is In The Heart  
  
by Daeryn  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Frida could hardly believe her ears as DJ Kickin's voice filled the air, announcing her the winner. Plain old Frida had won her first competition at the world's most important dance tournament. The sudden shock of two bodies being thrown at her hardly registered in her mind. Shorty and Kitty- N has stormed the stage and tackled Frida with hugs and cheers.  
  
"You did it Frida!" Shorty shrieked and tightened her hold.  
  
"I knew you could do it!" Kitty-N shook Frida's shoulders and nodded. "I knew it all along."  
  
Frida remained speechless as the stagehands were finally forced to drag the three girls off the stage when they wouldn't listen to their pleas for cooperation from the wings. Frida was to shocked to even notice the shocked shout of a stagehand when Shorty bit him for being a "meanie-head."  
  
'I can't believe it,' Frida's mind reeled. 'I did it... Is this possible? Is this really happening?' She knew she was walking down a hallway with the rest of the contestants but really could not care less.  
  
"Frida...Friiiida...FRIDA!!!" Frida heard a voice calling her. She blinked and finally snapped out of her daydream. Kitty-N's face was inches from her's. "EARTH TO FRIDA!" Frida jumped back and stared at Kitty-N is shock. "Sheesh, finally." Kitty-N shook her head and chuckled.  
  
Frida took note of her surroundings. There were somewhere within the heart of the massive Enix building. The room had the appearance of a large dressing room, but had been outfitted with card tables, fold-out chairs, and a buffet for lunch.  
  
"Aren't you hungry Frida?" Shorty asked, holding two little sandwich rolls in each hand. "It's really good." Kitty-N was also sitting at the table with Shorty and Frida and had helped herself to some crackers and spread. All around them were tables filled with dancers and crew, munching away.  
  
"I have to call Comet!" Frida suddenly remembered. "I have to tell her about...about...ya know!" She scrambled to her feet and headed for the door. "Payphone, payphone. HEY! Where is there a payphone around here?"  
  
"Well, there is a regular phone you can use, so you don't have to pay. Just go out the door, to your right, second hallway on your left, third door on your right should lead to a staircase, go up a flight, out the door, to the left, third hallway on your right, second hallway on your left, there should be a sign for a payphone, it's in the fourth room on your right, a little room for privacy," DJ Kickin' replied and took a sip from his Coke. Frida blinked.  
  
"Um...okay," she replied slowly. "Can you repeat that?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
After repeating the instructions five or six times, DJ Kickin simply wrote them down with a smile and handed the paper to Frida, saying he would walk her there but had to keep an eye on the dancers. He motioned towards Heat and rolled his eyes. Then he wished her luck.  
  
"Just be sure not to go down the first hallway after the second-"  
  
"STOP!" Frida cut him off, "I can't take anymore directions!" She clenched the directions and started weaving her way in and out of the maze that was the Enix building. After backtracking several times due to missed hallways because of strange corners Frida finally reached a door with a sign reading 'PHONE.' With a smile she opened and door, but instead of stepping inside she gaped silently. Instead of a normal lounge type room she found a tiny 3' x 3' closet that was home to an ancient phone that was hung on the wall and a dingy wooden chair jammed into a corner. "Lovely," Frida grumbled as she picked up the reciever and dialed Comet's home number. No one was home, so she tried Sushi Planet.  
  
"Thank you for calling Sushi Planet, how can I help you?" a cheery voice appeared on the other end of the line.  
  
"Comet?" Frida smiled into the receiver and sat down on the chair.  
  
"Frida?!" her sister replied happily. "You sound happy, tell me everything!"  
  
"Well, I just won my first dance battle," Frida reported proudly.  
  
"AHH!!! Frida! That's so awesome!" Comet shrieked.  
  
"I know! I can't believe it!" Frida answered in a similar voice. The ecstatic sisters exchanged happy girly screams and giggles as Frida recounted her winning dance. Before Frida had a chance to go into detail about other events during her stay in New York, Comet was called back to work. Not wanting her sister to get into trouble with her boss she hung up after promising to call home once she got a chance.  
  
"I think all that shrieking burst my eardrums," Heat said as he appeared in the doorframe. Frida jumped slightly at his sudden appearance, but fright was immediately replaced with disgust and Frida glared.  
  
"You shouldn't have been listening," Frida replied solemnly. "There is this little thing called privacy that maybe you-."  
  
"I think everybody down the hall could hear you going on and on about your, umm. victory," Heat smirked. Frida leapt to her feet and faced Heat angrily.  
  
"I was talking to my sister, someone who actually cares about other people!" Frida snapped. The smile melted off Heat's face. "You're so perfect you probably don't even need to tell anyone when you win." Heat's frown deepened.  
  
"Frida, that was.," Heat trailed off and looked away from Frida's intense glaze.  
  
"I've had just about enough of your cocky attitude Heat," Frida continued. "And I most certainly don't need you interfering in my life. You just- What are you doing?!" Heat had pushed Frida into the phone closet and closed the door behind him.  
  
"Shorty is coming down the hall looking for the bathroom. DJ Kickin' gave her directions before I left. She's probably lost." Heat replied in a whisper. Frida could barely see the outline of Heat's face in the darkness of the room. The chair was digging into the back of her knees and Heat was pressed against her front in the close confines of the closet.  
  
"Yeah. that's all well and good, but-" Frida began exasperatedly.  
  
"Shh," Heat shushed her.  
  
".but why are we hiding?" she finished in a breathy whisper, becoming nervously and fully aware of Heat's body and how she was clinging onto his shirt for balance.  
  
"Because I." Heat began in a small whisper. Frida held her breath. "I need to talk to you."  
  
"What do you-" Frida was cut off as Heat placed his hand over her mouth. She heard Shorty skip by the phone closet.  
  
"Where is that STUPID BATHROOM!" the child grumbled. "Columbo, are you sure you read the directions right?" As Columbo's squeaks faded away Frida determined it was safe. Heat slowly removed his hand from her mouth and placed one on each of her shoulders.  
  
"Heat." Frida managed to peep. She was infinitely grateful for the darkness of the closet because her cheeks hot and probably flaming red. Frida had no idea what was going on, but all anger she felt towards Heat had been pushed to the back of her mind as his lean, muscular body was pressed against hers and she could feel his breath on her face.  
  
"I.I uh," Heat began nervously. "I don't deal with people well Frida. Some might, umm.well call me an asshole." Heat laughed weakly.  
  
"Don't say-" Frida shook her head.  
  
"I know that's what people think Frida, and they're right," Heat interrupted quickly. "Don't try and tell me something different. That's who I am; that's what I try to be." Heat paused for a moment but then continued with a bit more anger in his voice, "I don't need people! I'm fine by myself!" His grip on Frida's shoulders tightened.  
  
"H-Heat, I don't understand," Frida murmured uneasily. She was becoming more than a bit nervous about the fury in Heat's words. She reached up with a hand to try and pry his fingers off her shoulder.  
  
"Neither do I," he replied gruffly and shook Frida a bit. Frida could faintly see his movements by the light peeking in through the crack in the door, but she never expected for his lips to touch hers. There she was standing in a dark closet with Heat kissing her. Surprise was the only word that could describe what Frida was feeling as Heat kissed with a passion and pent-up frustration that she had never felt before. His hand moved from her shoulder to the back of her head in an effort to pull her closer. Though it wasn't unpleasant Frida was to shocked and frightened to let it continued and she finally managed to push him away. His back hit the door with a dull thud and Frida gasped for breath.  
  
"What is going on!" Frida demanded.  
  
"Aww, shit. I'm just gonna get out of here," Heat replied.  
  
"Don't you dare touch that doorknob till I know what is going on!" Frida's voice broke as she shrieked at Heat. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him away from the door.  
  
"I don't fucking know, okay!" Heat snapped back.  
  
"Then why did you kiss me?" Frida insisted. "Please tell me! I deserve an explanation."  
  
"Because I.I like you Frida," Heat replied softly. "I've never met anyone like you, you're both the sweetest girl and the angriest woman I've ever come across. You're interesting and fun and. and when I'm with you it feels right, like I should be with another human. I've never felt that before."  
  
"That-" Frida began slowly.  
  
"I know, it's fucking corniest thing you've ever heard in your whole entire fucking life," Heat laughed. "I understand. I'll just go."  
  
"Don't you DARE open that door," Frida shouted and ripped his hand off the doorknob. She lifted her hands and placed them on either side of his face. "As I was saying! That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me." She lifted herself onto her tiptoes and planted a delicate kiss on Heat's lips.  
  
"Oh Frida," he moaned, wrapped his arms around her stomach, and swept her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. She pulled her head away from his shoulder and kissed him against, this time not so delicately. Heat loosened the hug and let his hand roam up and down her partially bare back. The pleasant sensations caused Frida to gasp and Heat took that opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. Frida replied with equal fervor on her end and pulled him closer.  
  
"Thanks to you Columbo we're probably already late for the next tournament!" Shorty's voice echoed down the hall. "That is the last time I let you direct!" Her sneakers squeaked as she ran past the phone room. Frida broke the kiss with a smile and laughed.  
  
"I think we better head back," she said, a small amount of disappointment apparent in her voice.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
to be continued.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~ 


End file.
